Thursday, November 19, 2015

Join The Great American Smokeout and Make Today Your Quit Day

Quitting smoking can be hard, so a good plan can help to combat withdrawal symptoms. Here are five easy steps from the Fulton County Department of Health and Wellness Partnerships to Improve Community Health (PICH) Program and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to help smokers quit the habit and start the journey to a healthier future:1. Set a quit date. Choose the Great American Smokeout or another quit day within the next 2 weeks.2. Tell family and friends about your quit plan. Share your quit date with the important people in your life and ask for support. A daily phone call, e-mail, or text message can help you stay on course and provide moral support. Try SmokefreeTEXT for 24/7 help on your mobile phone.3. Be prepared for challenges. The urge to smoke is short—usually only 3 to 5 minutes. Surprised? Those moments can feel intense. Even one puff can feed a craving and make it stronger. Before your quit day, write down healthy ways to cope. a. Drink water.b. Take a walk or ride your bike.c. Listen to a favorite song or play a game.d. Call or text a friend.4. Remove cigarettes and other tobacco from your home, car, and workplace. Throw away your cigarettes, matches, lighters, and ashtrays. Clean and freshen your car, home, and workplace. Old cigarette odors can cause cravings.5. Talk to your pharmacist, doctor, or quitline coach about quit options. Nicotine patches, gum, or other approved quit medication can help with cravings. Find more tips and help at:The Georgia Tobacco Quitline: 1.877.270.STOP (7867)

The Fulton County PICH Program is working with a coalition of government, school, healthcare, corporate, faith-based and non-profit organizations to discourage tobacco use, reduce second-hand smoke exposure and promote smoke-free policies.